In today’s day and age of college basketball, Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo is an old school coach. Part of a disappearing generation of college coaches who helped pave the way for today’s generation.
Tom Izzo recently led Michigan State to the Sweet 16 after the team’s win against Louisville, and following the game, he spoke about his role as a coach and the overall state of coaching in college basketball right now, as per The Field of 68.
“My energy, is because deep down, I respect the guys that left. I understand why some of them did,” Izzo said. “I appreciate what my boss told me a long time ago, ‘your job is to be a steward of the game.’ I don’t think right now, enough coaches are standing up to be stewards of the game.
“A steward of the game means to try to do what’s best for a player. We’ll see as time goes, but right now, at least for another week, I’m still hanging in there. I’m not going anywhere.”
This season is Izzo’s 31st season at the helm as Michigan State head coach. During that time, he’s compiled an overall record of 764-308. His tenure has included 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including winning the national championship in 1999-00. He is a four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, and he won the AP College Coach of the Year Award in 1998.
Last season, the Spartans advanced to the Elite Eight, the farthest they had advanced in the NCAA Tournament in the past seven years when they reached the Final Four in 2018-19.
